Lungworm infection causes severe respiratory disease in cattle, particularly in naive animals encountering infection for the first time, with vaccination providing effective protection.
Lungworm disease causes severe respiratory distress that can be rapidly fatal. Affected cattle show severe coughing, open-mouth breathing, and obvious respiratory distress as larvae and adult worms damage the lung tissue. Mass infection can cause acute respiratory failure affecting many animals simultaneously. The condition is particularly dramatic because previously healthy young cattle can become critically ill within a few days of significant exposure. Vaccination before the first grazing season is the most effective welfare protection, providing immunity without the animal experiencing the disease itself.